Verbs And Verbals - derivation/latine - definition-Parts Of Speech-ESL/Learn English Grammar

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VERBS

[Sidenote: _Verb,--the word of the sentence._]

199. The term _verb_ is from the Latin _verbum_ meaning _word_:
hence it is _the_ word of a sentence. A thought cannot be expressed
without a verb. 

When the child cries, "Apple!" it means, _See_ the
apple! or I _have_ an apple! In the mariner's shout, "A sail!" the
meaning is, "Yonder _is_ a sail!"

Sentences are in the form of declarations, questions, or commands; and none of these can be put before the mind without the use of a verb.

[Sidenote: _One group or a group of words._]

200. The verb may not always be a single word. On account of the
lack of inflections, _verb phrases_ are very frequent. Hence the verb may consist of:

(1) _One word_; as, "The young man _obeyed_."

(2) _Several words of verbal nature, making one expression_; as,

(_a_)"Some day it _may be considered_ reasonable," 

(_b_) "Fearing lest he_might have been anticipated_."

(3) _One or more verbal words united with other words to compose one verb phrase_: as in the sentences, 

(_a_) "They knew well that this woman _ruled over_ thirty millions of subjects;" 
(_b_) "If all the flummery and extravagance of an army _were done away with_, the money
could be made to go much further;" 
(_c_) "It is idle cant to pretend anxiety for the better distribution of wealth until we can devise means by which this preying upon people of small incomes _can be put a stop to_."

In (_a_), a verb and a preposition are used as one verb; 
in (_b_), a verb, an adverb, and a preposition unite as a verb; 
in (_c_), an article, a noun, a preposition, are united with verbs as one verb phrase.

[Sidenote: _Definition and caution._]

201. A verb is a word used as a predicate, to say something to or
about some person or thing. In giving a definition, we consider a verb
as one word.

Now, it is indispensable to the nature of a verb that it is "a word
used as a predicate." Examine the sentences in Sec. 200: In (1),
_obeyed_ is a predicate; in (2, _a_), _may be considered_ is a unit in
doing the work of one predicate; in (2, _b_), _might have been
anticipated_ is also one predicate, but _fearing_ is not a predicate,
hence is not a verb; in (3, _b_), _to go_ is no predicate, and not a
verb; in (3, _c_), _to pretend_ and _preying_ have something of
verbal nature in expressing action in a faint and general way, but
cannot be predicates.

In the sentence, "_Put_ money in thy purse," _put_ is the predicate,
with some word understood; as, "Put _thou_ money in thy purse."


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